To Protect
by Kobayashi Shiki
Summary: Five years after the war that ravaged Gaia, a window of opportunity opens to shed light on disgraced former knight Seifer Almasy, however will his freedom cost more that he is willing to pay. AU, M/M, full listings inside.
1. The Catch

Title: To Protect

Series: FFVIII (Final Fantasy 8 for those who don't know their roman numerals)

Genre: AU, Possible Non-Con, Yaoi, het & Yuri pairings, General Adult Themes (i.e., blood, sex, drugs, violence), and possible slight OOC behaviour

Pairings: You'll find out eventually, but at the very least there will definitely be SxS among others.

Disclaimer: I own ….nearly nothing, I be a poor student and while I wish any of squares lovely creations were among them sadly they are not and therefore I cannot profit from whori…err….lending them out to other…. appreciators.

To Protect

Chapter 01

A collective gasp rose from wandering crowds before cheers and loud rumbled explosions mingled while the sky above came alive with colours enough to make the most vibrant and colourful gardens wilt in shame.

Throughout the streets of Balamb people sang and danced, tankards of spirits were raised and emptied as quickly as they were filled as the people of the proud yet small nation celebrated an end, an end to a war that had raged far to long, and end to a war that had cost far to much, too much gil, too much blood, too many lives.

Along the streets nobles and common soldiers celebrated side by side, forgetting petty differences in view of something far greater and meaningful then pride or self-righteousness.

Away from the revelry, laying down in the depths of the 'Olde Run', an old underground section of Balambs [i_Garden_[/i, the decorative castle that served as the hub of activity and decision making after the first Sorceress War many years passed. The 'Olde Run' itself had been part of the old castle which had been all but destroyed during the war and seemed to have been part of the servants' quarters but since the rebuilding it had been converted into a prison of sorts, used mostly by SeeD, Balambs secret police.

A young man stood in one such cell, one arm bound in a splint and dressed here and there with bandages that were pristine with the exception of dusty smudges that had been picked up from navigating through the dark corridors while having to use the walls for support. His soft brown hair was partially covered by the bandages that bound a head wound that he wouldn't have bothered to wrap had it not been for the constant 'worry' of his closest friends and advisors. His icy blue eyes however, remained clear and visible as he stared across the cell at the man shackled to the wall opposite the door.

Blond hair, once primly kept and maintained hung raggedly around a proud masculine face that seemed to have lost most of its haughty appearance, only fitting since the owner of said face had long been unconscious, the brunette had no doubt a smug smirk would be back on those split, dry lips as soon as the man were conscious again baring the first few seconds of wakefulness, those few telling moments before anyone could place up a barrier, could school the emotions they allowed to show on their face. In these few moments it was eerily easy to see the haunted suffering that lingered behind tired emerald eyes. Casting his gaze down his frown deepened as he took in several fresh bruises, ones that would otherwise go by unnoticed upon the battered and weakened body that had once been so perfect, so virile and strong, except to someone trained to see, to someone that was looking with the intention of seeing.

Taking a deep breath before releasing it slowly through his nose, the young man bowed slightly, bending over just enough to pick up a small bucket of water that sat near his leather booted feet and swung his arm enough for the water to sail free from its confines to splash against the slumbering prisoner, forcing him into uncomfortable consciousness.

Pausing for a moment he watched as the other sputtered and shifted, bare, dirty feet kicking slightly at the ground he sat on in an effort to push himself up, trying to take the numbing pain out of his shackled arms before the prisoner finally stopped moving and instead glared up at him from beneath a veil of dirty, wet strands of shaggy blond hair that had once been as golden as the sun itself, a slow smirk creeping its way onto his lips.

"Well, Leonhart, to what do I owe the pleasure of your esteemed presence?"

Sir Squall Leonhart, Knight Defender of the Sorceress Rinoa and Commander of the armies of Balamb glared down at the blond man, folding his uninjured arm around his waist, settling it on the hilt of his blade as he watched the other. "…"

"What, just going to stand there? Oh, I forgot, you like to watch, that's how it was, wasn't it, sitting in the dark watching through spying spells while another man entertained that whore you call a wife." Seifer Almasy sneered, taunting and leaning forward against the shackles that bound him despite the stinging pain it caused to race along the nerves of his arms.

In an instant the point of Squalls gunblade was leveled just a few centimeters away from the blond, silently drawn and offering a silent warning against further behavior.

The smirk grew yet changed, taking on a slightly bitter but angry turn. "Keeping your distance this time? How's your arm?" He leered as he leaned back against the cold wall he was confined to.

Stormy eyes dropped for a moment, flickering to his splinted and bandaged arm, the self same one that the blond hand broken two weeks previously during one of these meetings after somehow managing to get free, it was then that Squall had earned his other cuts and scrapes, fighting against a half mad and desperate prisoner that had once been amongst the greatest knights on Gaia. This night however, this night was different, the celebrations taking place marked not the end itself but an anniversary of the end and as a symbol of new beginnings now that the damage from the war had been repaired, now that five years later the dead had all been buried and prayed for, the soldiers brought home to their families, the land re-tilled and the buildings rebuilt and little by little, the economy returning to a healthy level.

Five years, he thought as he gazed at the blond, had hardly changed his attitude, no matter how different his appearance may be.

"Enough of this."

Shifting slightly Squall gazed over his shoulder, his expression returning to its normal apathetic state as he watched a small robed court officer march into the cell, unfolding a piece of parchment as he moved. "Seifer Almasy, previously Knight Protector of the Sorceress Ultimecia and Commander of the armies of the nation of Galbadia, from this date you are released from any and all obligation towards Galbadia and are exiled from its blessed soil. Their Majesties Cid and Martine have come to the agreement that as such you shall serve the rest of your sentence here in Balamb for as long as His royal Majesty, Cid of Balamb deems necessary." The man recited before neatly folding the parchment once more and spinning on his heel to exit the cell, pulling a perfumed kerchief from his sleeve to ward off offensive odors.

They stayed there in silence, night and day, mirror images of each other as they contemplated the news before heavy iron chains clinked as the blond shifted, straightening against the wall, trying to find the same comfortable position he had been looking for, for the past year and a half since he had been found, captured and imprisoned. "So…in other words now that they don't have their precious sorceress they don't want me…huh…figures…" He murmured absently as he considered the ramifications the decision would likely have on him.

"Galbadia doesn't want you…no." Came the reply, so soft in the silent room that it was almost covered over by the soft sounds of their breathing.

Frowning the blond stared up at the dark knight, watching him with a slight frown on his features. "What do you mean?"

Remaining silent for a short period of time, the brunette stared down at the blond before half turning to leave the cell before his lips parted to speak once more. "It means, the king has decided to free you…"

One blond eyebrow raised as silence hung between them, both weighing the other, digesting and re-digesting the news, considering the possibilities the news brought to light before slowly the blonds split lips drew tight as the man grinned, his green eyes slipping closed as his head leaned back to rest against the cold stone wall while a soft rumbling sound worked its way free from the depths of the larger mans chest. "Hyne…this must be eating you up inside." The blond murmured before opening his eyes to stare across at the near mute knight. "So, what's the catch?"

Well, what to say, firstly i should probably explain what's going on for those of you that are looking at this and going 'wha...?' Basically take FF and shove it into a medieval setting because the knight and sorceress themes were teasing me. So, essentially take FF mix with olde school themes and set watches 5 years after the 'end'. Squall the knight hero got married to Rinoa although their relationship has turned rocky at best over the last couple of years, Seifer had been on the run and in hiding since after the war and yup Cid and Edea are king and queen of Balamb.

Secondly fear not if this intro chappy didn't make too much sense be cause i was only half conscious while writing it (no sleep " ) and this was only meant to set the stage, as it were.

To those who read this and have been bitting nails waiting for an update on my other fics, you all deserve clouds next to Buddha for your patience, i have none of my planning or research materials (horrid hdd failure in the gross extremes) but i will be trying to possibly put things back together to continue and i am very very sorry it has taken me this long to get to it.

Last but not least, as standard procedure please give me a review and let me know what you think, be it the idea of the AU setting or just that you think i'm being OOC or some such, i like and need these opinions from my readers to let me know if i need to work on things more or not and i don't have a beta so if you see an error pls let me know TTTT "


	2. Almost

First state of business, Reviews.

SilverWhiteDragon – They're heading towards it, very slowly and stubbornly but they will get there, trust me. "

Quistis Trepe05 – I'm really glad you think that, I was rather worried at first about those little bits and pieces but…Yay! Lol, too much pepsi for me. Ah well, here's the next chappy for you, hope you enjoy this one as much as the first or better yet, more :D

Chapter 02

Gazing at the man before him, it was almost impossible to recognize the man he once was or even the man he had been just a few short weeks ago. In the two weeks since Seifer had accepted Cids' proposition to him they had left Balamb city and had traveled to the remote island of Centra, barren save for the few monsters that crawled upon its surface and the ruined temple that had once been part of the Balamb nation, there Squall had set upon the task of training the blond ex-knight back to his former strength.

"_Swallow your pride…"_

It is what he had told the blond man he would have to do in exchange for his freedom and he had said it without any illusion about how hard such a seemingly simple task would be for the other since pride had ever been his most grievous sin.

"See something you like?"

The voice snapped his attention back to his surroundings and he scowled darkly at its' owner. "Hn, the sight of you standing on your own…I was getting sick of carrying around a _servant_." He drawled out, stormy eyes watching the blond man, gauging his response to the taunt.

"_Swallow your pride…become my servant and serve Balamb from the shadows, if you can do that….you can be free…"_

Squall watched as fists clenched around the garden hoe that he had given to the blond so that they other would have sufficient exercise while he worked to till the barren plains, bringing air and eventually moisture when the rains came that season to promote growth of new life…new beginnings. After a moment the hands relaxed and a strained smile touched the blonds' lips, an expression closer to a grimace than any real smile. "Well then…I should hurry and get stronger so I don't burden you any longer….my lord..." He ground out, his teeth starting to grind as he spoke the last few words and his hands gripped the handle hard enough for his knuckles to fade to white.

For a tense moment they stood like that before Squall turned his gaze from the blond man to the patch of field he had been working on since before dawn that morning before looking to the sky and gauging the position of the sun. "That's enough, we'll stop for lunch now…" He announced, getting to his feet effortlessly and turning to head back towards their rude housing, the ruined remains of the temple, without sparing the blond a second glance. He did however tilt his head to the side in time to see the garden hoe fly through the place where his head had been seconds before.

Gazing across at the brunette Seifer chewed thoughtfully on a piece of potato as he absently stirred the remaining stew in his bowl. Three week now. Three weeks, two days. It was hard not to count the time when almost every minute of it was spent trying to force himself into something he wasn't, by temperament or education. Although now, he supposed, he was going to become something by education, at least enough so that he would pass scrutiny.

From what he had gathered for the first few months he would be learning and re-learning the skills and mannerisms he would need to pass himself off as a body servant, to be able to navigate the lower sections of courts to fulfill his 'masters' desires, whatever they may be.

'Whatever they may be', four words that he had come to hate beyond his ability to describe. 'Whatever they may be' had proved so far to be chores that he had never done before, lowly jobs that even during his time as a first year student at the academy had never done, usually because he had intimidated someone else into doing them for him. Lowly tasks such has clothes washing, gardening, cooking and cleaning, such tasks had become a regular occurrences over the past three weeks, three Hyne blessed weeks. Although, he had to confess he was grateful it was only the two of them he had to cook and clean for, unlike the novices in the academy, who had to do chores for the entire academy, including the instructors, to 'build character' or teach discipline or whatever piss weak excuse the instructors were offering up at the recent motivational speech.

Looking at the brunette, the man dubbed 'Black Knight' of the academy, it was hard to picture the slender male scrubbing floors or changing linens, just like it had always been hard to picture him with a wife or lover, yet indeed, he had a lovely young wife, spirited and a sorceress to boot, back at home in Balamb _Garden _making herself comfortable while her husband worked restlessly to ensure her cushioned, safe life was never disturbed.

An interesting way of thanking someone for giving them peace, by committing adultery behind their back. Perhaps it wasn't that, it wasn't that she did it, but that she had the gall to lie to his face and smile ever so innocently as if nothing were happening at all, despite the avid rumors that spread like wildfire throughout the _Garden. _Lied, smiled and still went to his bed maintain a charade of a happy union every one knew was broken and fake anyway. Honestly, it would be laughable if it weren't so painful to watch.

A smirk touched his lips as he parted them for another spoonful of stew. He hadn't been watching, instead he got to listen to second hand rumors from the guards that were posted in the 'Olde Run' and the maids that came in twos to maintain a mockery of cleanliness in his cell and give him his meals. His first few days outside of his cell however, then he started to see. Saw the maids around corners, whispering behind hands, guards averting eyes when either Squall or Rinoa were present, some with sympathy or pity in their averted eyes, the hushed chatter of the chambermaids that came every day to change linens and then pass on what they had seen in the room, on the sheets, to eagerly waiting ears.

It was enough to make you laugh or be sick, seeing people with so much time to waste when there were so many other things they could or should be doing.

Shifting in his seat Seifer set aside his empty bowl and stretched, groaning softly as he felt his joints pop and his tired muscles strain in a way that may have been unpleasant if it weren't for the fact the feeling alone reminded him that he was no longer wrapped in chains and unable to move freely. That feeling…that ever overlooked sensation in itself was almost enough for him to justify swallowing his towering pride, something that had always kept him from doing things he had dubbed beneath him.

A soft clanking sound of wood against stone caught his attention and his eyes opened to gaze at the brunette once more before raising an eyebrow at the bowl and spoon that the other man was holding out in his direction while his stormy eyes were focused elsewhere.

Almost enough…Hyne, damn my pride…

Well, chapter two faster than I thought since I can't seem to get this story out of my head at the moment, not that this is a bad thing since I can't work out what I want to happen next in my second chances fic which was the next one on my list of updates. Ah well, hope this makes sense to you guys and isn't a let down after the first chapter, more stage building and a hissy fit from Seifer, man I love messing with him :D

Anyway, please leave reviews and let me know what you think.


	3. Growth

Okie, firstly, ya, as with before don't own FF, wish I did but reality bites.

Anyway, short and really not sweet chappy, basically me saying I'm alive and stuff be happening.

Quistis Trepe05 asked about the significance of Squall and the bowl at the end, the reason for that was pretty simple, Pride is Seifers biggest hang up for Squall the most painful way to attack Seifer and punish him for his past mistakes is to use his pride against him. So, Squall+Bowl+Seifer "Do your dishes biatch and do them good otherwise you sleep on the floor."

See, if you ask you do receive, it just takes a bit of time, much flaming doodoo flying around at the moment but stuff is gradually getting done. Anyway, onto the chapter…

Chapter 03

Growth

_Thrust_

_Thrust_

_Parry_

_Dodge_

They stood mere meters apart, each panting softly from exertion, their labored breaths coming as clouds of steam into the rain chilled air. They had been at it for hours now, training back and forth, it had started as it always did the brunette stood a distance away, silently observing as the blond worked and worked, tilling a barren field while rain turned his work to sludge that would seep back into the area it had just come from. It was a pointless and useless task, they both knew it but it wasn't until a full two hours had passed since the work had commenced before the blond had snapped and had turned his frustration on his overseer.

Armed only with a rusty garden hoe the blond roared in his frustration and swung the hoe around, not long enough to hit the infuriatingly passive brunette but enough to spray him with mud. The pause that followed was silent but for the sound of the pounding rain as they both remained absolutely still before Seifer doubled over his roar of frustration becoming a river of roaring laughter as the others stormy grey eyes slowly narrowed and a delicate looking gloved hand reached up to wipe mud from his face.

Barely a moments notice before Squall had leapt forward, his weapon drawn in one fluid movement and his feet barely seeming to touch the rain soaked ground as his body moved towards the other, almost too quick to allow even the raindrops to touch him.

Raising the old hoe to block the attack the blond was pushed down into the muck, dropping to one knee to keep himself from being pushed back further, his laughter replaced by a grunt as his muscular frame absorbed most of the shock from the blow before he pushed forward, turning the garden instrument into a makeshift spear as he thrust it towards the other, his calloused hands gripping the splintering wooden shaft tightly while he kept pushing forward working to push the other back to a safe distance.

Gaining ground he swung wide pushing the others blade away as he rushed forward into the opening, his eyes flickering away from his target to glance at his makeshift weapon before he thrust forward, using both arms to support the damage spear as the brunette leaned out of the way to avoid the attack, swinging his blade back around to hit at the others 'spear' with the back of his blade, snapping in two with the force of the attack and pushing forward without hesitation, bringing his blade up once more, level with the others head.

Seifer lay panting in the mud, his green eyes narrowed against the pounding rain and against the sting of the fresh cut in his cheek. He stared up through the rain at the brunette for a long moment, staring up along the length of the others blade, watching in agitation as his blood was immediately washed from the tip by the driving rain.

"You may be called a Beast of Balamb….but that's no reason for you to act like one."

Watching as the blade was lowered and finally re-sheathed Seifer slowly pushed himself up, his eyes pinned to the other through the veil of water, watching as the brunette turned his back on him and began to move away, back to the ruined temple that served as their home for the time being.

Sitting there a moment longer the blond contemplated the others words as he reached up to trace his thumb against his newest wound only to jerk it away with a snarl at the renewed sensation of its biting sting before grumbling he pushed himself to his feet and trudged through the mud and rain after his overseer.

There we go, short and angry as promised, please note massive amounts of underlying tension on behalf of his most emo-ness Squall, you'll see more depth to stuff as time goes on but anyway, please give me reviews so I know what you think so I don't crash somewhere along the line.

Next chappy will be longer, promise!!

Shiki


	4. Chocobos, Whores and Ladies

Chapter 04

"FUCKING CHOCOBOS!"

One fine brow arched, the brunette knight turned his attention from his gunblade, whetstone pausing mid stroke as his gaze focused on his blond charge before turning back to his blade. The slightest of smirks touching his lips, hidden now by shoulder length strands of brown hair.

Stomping across what had been a happily, if reluctantly growing vegetable garden, Seifer cast his green gaze about, taking in the damage the wild herd had caused to the budding greens. Pausing a moment he frowned then retraced his steps, this time counting the different tracks and working through the likely size of the herd. If he worked things right, he could set a nice little snare and catch a couple of the pests.

Watching the blonds double take out of the corner of his eye, Squall raised his blade to gaze along its edge. "What are your intentions, Almasy?"

"Intentions? I intend to catch the bastards and breed them." Came the reply, half muffled by activity. "And if I can't breed them, then I'm going to Hyne damned eat them."

"Thoughts of you cooking anything heavier than a stew aside, I suppose if you were able to make honest money breeding chocobos, you would be able to afford some new clothes." The brunette mused out loud.

Pausing in his work to stare at his suddenly talkative jailer and master, Seifer blinked and quickly resumed his scowling and hunting for items that could be used to fashion a trap. "Far from it Leonheart, unlike yourself I have priorities. I just spent the past five years alternatively in prison or within the tender mercies of Cid's interrogators and now here stuck in the middle of nowhere with no one but you for company." The blond reasoned simply as he began construction of his rude trap. "No, when I have the money, the next visit we make into Balamb I'm going to find myself a lady or a damned whore for all I care."

Affecting a bored expression the brunette turned his own attention back to his task. "The fact that you think anyone that could even remotely be referred to as a lady would willingly go to bed with you, looking the way you do tells me you are either more foolish than I thought, or that you have so much pride you can't truly see what your own reflection looks like."

"I think you should have another look at the kinds of women your beloved court calls 'lady'." The blond threw back, eyes narrowed and shoulders stiff. "Your wife makes a damned fine example."

"Rinoa is a sorceress, you know as well as I do the price that comes with that power."

"Oh I know, probably better than you do. For all her faults, Rinoa's still gentle, worlds away from Ultemicia...towards the end..."

Catching the others suddenly sombre tone Squall gazed at the blond once more, this time watching carefully. "If it became so horrible, why stay and fight for her?"

Barely a second anguish touched the proud features of the blond before disappearing behind a sneer. "And what choice was there? Surrender to people that hunted me? She'd still have found me."

"You don't know that."

The blond whipped around, mouth open to retort before closing in favour of staring across the distance at the other man. Slowly his eyes narrowed. "She hasn't told you."

"Told me what?"

Shaking his head, the blond turned his back on the other, crouching to finish work on his snare. "No, if your own Hyne damned wife won't tell you then I certainly won't." Seifer said with a slight growl, his eyes refusing to meet his overseers.

Deciding to watch the larger man for a moment, the brunette weighed his words against his tone and roughly guarded behaviour before moving to sit on the rough stump that had been a long dead tree when they had first arrived. "Rinoa...finds discussion along this topic distressing." He told the other, his voice soft but still clearly audible.

"Not nearly as much as I do."

Flicking icy grey eyes up and toward the other for a moment the brunette replied. "At the very least you had an understanding of whom you chose to serve."

Without warning the blond snapped, spinning in the dirt and half dead greens he had been cultivating over the past several weeks to snarl at the smaller male. "Any understanding I had when I chose to serve her was gained from legends and honeyed words. The understanding I have now I got from experiencing things you should be Hyne damned grateful your precious wife doesn't seem capable of!"

Taken slightly aback by the others fierce reaction Squall remained silent for a moment before inclining his head. "I apologise."

Shocked out of his rage the blond stared at the other incrediously for a long moment before blinking. "You what?"

"I said, I apologise. I pushed where I was not wanted and I have upset you. The life you had during the war has little to do with the one you will have now, there is no reason for me to delve into it." The brunette explained, his tone and expression becoming guarded aside from a slight narrowing of his cool eyes. "I for one am man enough to apologise when I have wronged another without cause."

Staring at the other for a moment longer the blond huffed a laugh and shook his head and turned his attention back to his work. "You know, aside from that last snipe, that was fucking brilliant. I'm going to have to remember that."

"Hn..."


End file.
